I think three of the main causes nerves are not knowing what to expect, Not knowing what to do, and Not being prepared. Let’s address each of them.

1. Knowing what to expect. Going into an unknown situation is usually uncomfortable for most people. What will it be like? Who will be there? What will they want? Will they like me? It’s like that first day in school when you were a kid, or the first time you went off the high dive, or the first time you drove. We worry abought what might happen. That’s why I make my audition classes as much like the real thing as I can. I’m always proud when one of my students comes back from his or her first audition and says, “It was just like we did it in class.” Professional auditions are all pretty much the same except for the differences in a commercial audition or one for a movie or TV show. Theater auditions are a whole separate animal ; perhaps we’ll cover them some other time.

2. What should I do? We’ll cover that in the next Spazmodical, but let me leave you with this thought; “Worry is the negative use of creativity.” (Burn that one in your brain!)